Local trio is fifth at Gov Cup

Host Balboa Yacht Club finished fourth in the seven-team consolation race Saturday and wound up fifth in the 12-team field of the 40th Governor’s Cup Challenge junior sailing regatta off Newport Beach.

The Newport Harbor Yacht Club, the only other local entry, was 11th after three days of round-robin racing, but wound up 12th when it elected not to compete in the consolation race Saturday.

King Harbor Yacht Club of Redondo Beach, the only American team to reach the semifinals, won the event. King Harbor won two match races against Royal Perth Yacht Club from Australia in the final, after winning two of three races against the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in the semifinals.

King Harbor was the last American entry to win the event, having captured back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000.

Royal Perth swept two races to defeat Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in the other semifinal.

The Balboa Yacht Club team consisted of Casey Schilling, Christian Emsiek and Wade Buxton.

Balboa Yacht Club, racing together for the third consecutive year, beat defending champion Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club of Australia in the first race of the second round robin. It was the the Australia club’s first loss in 12 match races to that point.

Members of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club team were Mac Mace, Andrew Mason and Christopher Segerblom.

King Harbor was represented by Steven Natvig, Alex Jacobs and Blake Smisko.

The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron finished third, followed by, in order of finish, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Balboa Yacht Club, Southern Yacht Club, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Sandspit Yacht Club, Parkstone Yacht Club, Annapolis Yacht Club and Newport Harbor Yacht Club.